Service Learning through Service Learning through Community Inquiry:Community Inquiry:

A Campus-Community PartnershipA Campus-Community Partnership

Robin Ringstad Robin Ringstad Valerie Leyva Valerie Leyva John GarciaJohn Garcia

Kelvin Jasek-RysdahlKelvin Jasek-Rysdahl

California State University, StanislausCalifornia State University, Stanislaus

Pressing IssuePressing Issue (Homelessness)(Homelessness)

How would you go about understanding How would you go about understanding this issue?this issue?

Who would you involve to help you Who would you involve to help you understand?understand?

How might you involve students in looking How might you involve students in looking at this issue?at this issue?

Purpose of InquiryPurpose of Inquiry

““forge a more direct link between forge a more direct link between intellectual knowledge and moment-intellectual knowledge and moment-to-moment personal and social to-moment personal and social action, so that inquiry contributes action, so that inquiry contributes directly to the flourishing of human directly to the flourishing of human persons, (and) their communities …”persons, (and) their communities …” (Reason 2005)(Reason 2005)

University or Community CenteredUniversity or Community Centered

ParadigmDecisions

ResearchParadigms

Service-LearningParadigms

AssessmentParadigms

University Centered ResearchUniversity Centered Research People come to University and ask experts to People come to University and ask experts to

conduct research about some topic they want conduct research about some topic they want information about.information about.

The university experts take the concern (and The university experts take the concern (and maybe the research questions) and develop a maybe the research questions) and develop a research agenda.research agenda.

These experts conduct research and provide a These experts conduct research and provide a report to the group who contacted them.report to the group who contacted them.

Ideally the research Ideally the research willwill result in publication or result in publication or presentation in an academic setting.presentation in an academic setting.

Community Inquiry ResearchCommunity Inquiry Research People come to University and ask experts to People come to University and ask experts to

conduct research about some issue.conduct research about some issue.

The University experts get involved as a partner in The University experts get involved as a partner in the research process.the research process.

A dialogue begins to identify those most closely A dialogue begins to identify those most closely connected to the issue as potential co-researchers.connected to the issue as potential co-researchers.

The research project is controlled by the co-The research project is controlled by the co-researchers.researchers.

Results create Results create ACTIONACTION to address the issue and to address the issue and maymay be presented or published. be presented or published.

Our ProjectOur Project

The community was divided about a proposal to The community was divided about a proposal to build a homeless shelter in the community.build a homeless shelter in the community.

Group of City Staff came to the University Group of City Staff came to the University looking for experts to study the issue and looking for experts to study the issue and provide recommendations.provide recommendations.

We decided to use a We decided to use a community inquiry community inquiry paradigmparadigm that relied on community members to that relied on community members to be co-researchers.be co-researchers.

Community co-researchersCommunity co-researchers

Co-researchersCo-researchers are those persons in the are those persons in the community who are most impacted by and community who are most impacted by and intimately connected with an issue. intimately connected with an issue.

These people are invited to join university These people are invited to join university personnel as personnel as co-researchersco-researchers to examine to examine the issues and develop strategies to the issues and develop strategies to address them.address them.

The people who joined us as The people who joined us as co-researchers were…co-researchers were…

Business ownersBusiness owners Individuals who were homelessIndividuals who were homeless Representatives of organizations that provided Representatives of organizations that provided

services to the homelessservices to the homeless Faith basedFaith based GovernmentGovernment Non-profitNon-profit

City staff membersCity staff members People from the UniversityPeople from the University

What did this mean for What did this mean for Service Learning?Service Learning?

To some degree we started our Service Learning To some degree we started our Service Learning projects “projects “backwardsbackwards”.”.

We knew the co-researchers (community) needed We knew the co-researchers (community) needed help to complete many of their desired activities and help to complete many of their desired activities and methodologies.methodologies.

We knew we had students who would likely be We knew we had students who would likely be interested.interested.

We developed strategies to allow students to We developed strategies to allow students to actively assist the community via activities that actively assist the community via activities that related to course content.related to course content.

University Centered University Centered Service-LearningService-Learning

Service-learning is often developed when an Service-learning is often developed when an Instructor looks for an activity in the community Instructor looks for an activity in the community that students in a class can become involved in.that students in a class can become involved in.

An assignment is designed to meet the learning An assignment is designed to meet the learning objectives of the class while providing some type objectives of the class while providing some type of service in the community.of service in the community.

The project is frequently time-limited in that it The project is frequently time-limited in that it occurs during a specific course time-line.occurs during a specific course time-line.

Community Centered Community Centered Service-LearningService-Learning

University looks to community for partners and University looks to community for partners and learns about needs.learns about needs.

Service learning project is developed in Service learning project is developed in partnership based on a community need.partnership based on a community need.

Student assignments and activities are created Student assignments and activities are created to meet the community need.to meet the community need.

The assignments and activities serve students The assignments and activities serve students within specific courses, but within specific courses, but alsoalso include on- include on-going, long-term interaction, investment, and going, long-term interaction, investment, and engagement with the Community.engagement with the Community.

Service-Learning ActivitiesService-Learning ActivitiesDuringDuring our project students were engaged: our project students were engaged:

1)1) as as members of each of the Co-researcher Groups.of each of the Co-researcher Groups.

2)2) as as data collectors to help Co-researcher Groups to help Co-researcher Groups carry out their various methodologies.carry out their various methodologies.

3)3) as as consultants to conduct literature reviews in to conduct literature reviews in response to Co-researcher Groups’ requests for response to Co-researcher Groups’ requests for information.information.

4)4) as research as research coordinators and data managers to to collate and protect research materials.collate and protect research materials.

5)5) as as support persons to analyze statistical data to to analyze statistical data to assist Co-researcher Groups.assist Co-researcher Groups.

Service-Learning Activities, con’t.Service-Learning Activities, con’t.

AfterAfter the project they remained involved the project they remained involved with the issues:with the issues:

6)6) as as researchers to provide long-term follow-up to provide long-term follow-up support to the community by conducting additional support to the community by conducting additional research that Groups were unable to complete. research that Groups were unable to complete.

7)7) as as activists to continue to raise awareness and to continue to raise awareness and push for action in the community. push for action in the community.

Assessment?Assessment?

What do we think about What do we think about Assessment?Assessment?

We rarely think about different ways of We rarely think about different ways of Assessment.Assessment.

For our project, we needed Assessment of:For our project, we needed Assessment of: ResearchResearch Student LearningStudent Learning

University Centered AssessmentUniversity Centered Assessment

Faculty member:

Provides evidence of outcomes Provides evidence of outcomes to the university audience to the university audience (programs, accrediting bodies, (programs, accrediting bodies, funders, etc.).funders, etc.).

Develops quantifiable learning Develops quantifiable learning outcomes and assignments.outcomes and assignments.

Implements activities and Implements activities and assesses student learning.assesses student learning.

Collects student learning Collects student learning outcome data.outcome data.

Accountability Report

ULTIM

ATE:

Publish &

Present

University Centered Assessment of University Centered Assessment of Service Learning (Service Learning (we did thiswe did this))

ActivitiesActivities

30 graduate students 30 graduate students and 2 undergraduate and 2 undergraduate students completed students completed over 400 hours of direct over 400 hours of direct community servicecommunity service

10 MSW students have 10 MSW students have remained involved, remained involved, completing master’s completing master’s theses on elements of theses on elements of the projectthe project

OutcomesOutcomes

Student class work Student class work showed evidence of showed evidence of learning on relevant learning on relevant course objectivescourse objectives

data analysis, research data analysis, research methodology, ethics of methodology, ethics of research, management research, management skills, policy analysis, skills, policy analysis, collaborative practice, etc.collaborative practice, etc.

Course evaluation Course evaluation ratings improved in each ratings improved in each of the classes engaged of the classes engaged in the projectin the project

University Centered Assessment of University Centered Assessment of Student Learning Student Learning

Students developed an understanding of the complexity Students developed an understanding of the complexity of social problems.of social problems.

Students developed skills for communicating effectively Students developed skills for communicating effectively with diverse groups.with diverse groups.

Students became civically involved in the local Students became civically involved in the local community.community.

Students had insights and changes in stereotypical views Students had insights and changes in stereotypical views about various constituency groups.about various constituency groups.

Students developed an in-depth interest and passion Students developed an in-depth interest and passion about various parts of the project.about various parts of the project.

University Centered Assessment of University Centered Assessment of Research project ( Research project (we did thiswe did this))

ActivitiesActivities

45 individual interviews to form 45 individual interviews to form groupsgroups

168 hours of co-researcher 168 hours of co-researcher group meetingsgroup meetings

37 individual interviews with 37 individual interviews with homeless individualshomeless individuals

Surveys of 191 business Surveys of 191 business ownersowners

Comparison with 23 California Comparison with 23 California citiescities

Analysis of existing data from Analysis of existing data from 8 community sources8 community sources

OutcomesOutcomes

Final report to CityFinal report to City Community forum to discuss Community forum to discuss

findingsfindings Newspaper interviews/articlesNewspaper interviews/articles Development of community Development of community

Implementation Task GroupImplementation Task Group Establishment of on-going Establishment of on-going

Steering Group for Homeless Steering Group for Homeless ServicesServices

Community Inquiry Community Inquiry (Community Centered) Assessment(Community Centered) AssessmentFaculty and stakeholders:

Provide evidence of outcomes Provide evidence of outcomes to stakeholders (co-researchers, to stakeholders (co-researchers, community, university).community, university).

Develop assignments and Develop assignments and learning objectives that respond learning objectives that respond to community need.to community need.

Engage students in activities Engage students in activities that meet community need.that meet community need.

Develop strategies that assess Develop strategies that assess impact on students and impact on students and community.community.

Assessment Partn

ership

ULTIMATE

:

ACTION

Community Centered Community Centered ImpactsImpacts::CommunityCommunity

Co-researchers became much more informed about the Co-researchers became much more informed about the complexity of the issues surrounding homelessness.complexity of the issues surrounding homelessness.

City government officials gained insight into community City government officials gained insight into community needs and concerns.needs and concerns.

Co-researchers were empowered to participate in local Co-researchers were empowered to participate in local government and civic action.government and civic action.

Decrease in overt dissention among various Decrease in overt dissention among various stakeholders.stakeholders.

On-going and collaborative commitment to community On-going and collaborative commitment to community action.action.

Community Centered Community Centered ImpactsImpacts: : FacultyFaculty

Deepened our understanding of the issue, the people Deepened our understanding of the issue, the people impacted by it, and the barriers to addressing it. impacted by it, and the barriers to addressing it.

Increased our commitment to PAR as a way to empower Increased our commitment to PAR as a way to empower individuals and groups and as a way to create and stimulate individuals and groups and as a way to create and stimulate social action.social action.

Changed our understanding of ways to engage students in Changed our understanding of ways to engage students in service-learning activities with the community in ways that are service-learning activities with the community in ways that are congruent with community needs and interests.congruent with community needs and interests.

Changed the ways we teach and learn, and the ways we Changed the ways we teach and learn, and the ways we engage in teaching and learning with our students.engage in teaching and learning with our students.

Validated our belief that the true Validated our belief that the true ‘Experts’ on peoples lives on peoples lives are the people who live those lives.are the people who live those lives.

Reflections…Reflections…

Reactions…Reactions…

Observations…Observations…

Concerns…Concerns…